Friday 6 September 2013

The Mesothelioma

What is Mesothelioma?
Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer in which malignant cells are found in the sac lining of the chest or abdomen. Especially people who are diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma in this work that breathing asbestos.
Mesothelioma Diagnosis
For the diagnosis of this disease, a physical examination is performed, followed by x-rays and pulmonary function tests as well, if necessary. If the diagnosis is mesothelioma, the X-ray may reveal pleural effusion frequently observed after exposure to asbestos.
Cause mesothelioma
One concept is that the irritation and inflammation of mesothelioma cells is caused by asbestos. Irritation and inflammation may lead to cell damage, cancer and finally irreversible scarring. The second assumption is that the asbestos fibers are separated from the regular routine function of cellular structures holding cell division. This cell division is necessary because it causes cell changes that may lead to cancer. The second theory is that the last production of DNA-damaging compounds is caused by asbestos oxidant. Finally, incompetence production has been shown to be there due to the presence of asbestos. Concertinas can cause ignore mesothelial cell division routine that leads to development of cancerous cells. As a result, the common output of these four concepts is ignorance of standard cell division cycles, which over time can cause cancer.
Some industries that are out there that workers inhaled asbestos and mesothelioma sufferers. Most of these workers are men who are over the age of 40.
Some of these industries are: - manufacturing, shipbuilding, miners, soldiers, engineers, pipe fitters, using steel, automotive engineers and construction workers.
Symptoms of Mesothelioma
Pleural effusion - This is when too much fluid builds up in the lining of the lungs because a person can suffer dispense and chest pain.
Coughing up blood - is one of the more alarming symptoms of the 10. In this a person may have difficulty swallowing or hardness.
Horner's syndrome - is related to the lack of sweating. Under this, it can be a particular disease, such as abnormal sinking an eyeball, drooping eyelids, abnormal constriction of the pupil, and acidosis.
WEIGHT LOSS - No one thinks that weight loss can be a symptom of mesothelioma. If a person has no reason for his / her weight loss and symptoms of mesothelioma are more visible than he / she should definitely go to see a doctor.
SONGS - occur around the skin of the chest or abdomen of a person. This is a most important symptom among 10 municipalities.
Dry cough - If no phlegm associated with dry cough, then this is definitely a sign of mesothelioma.
Abdominal swelling - the swelling is caused by fluid accumulation in the abdominal cavity. A person may think that he has gained weight, but not, swelling and signs of the disease called mesothelioma.
Problems with bowel habits - more episodes of diarrhea or constipation can be caused by peritoneal mesothelioma.
Aches and pains all over the body - When mesothelioma metastasis to other organs of the body, and patients suffer complications such as pain and make these organs.
No symptoms - You have to wonder, why 'no symptoms' is the list of symptoms! In fact, approximately 3% of all mesothelioma patients have the typical signs of the disease. So go to a doctor is the best option for you to be on a safer side.
Early detection can potentially be one of the factors to show the impact of prognosis. If no cancer is found and treatment is not started at the right time, when the cancer can spread slowly to other areas of the body a chance to heal and will less and if the cancer is fortunately not spread significantly the ability to process strengthened. This is the only reason that patients who had been exposed to asbestos should start treatment as soon as possible and should contact a doctor immediately for a full review.
The detection of mesothelioma is said actually exactly where the cancer is, if the tumor is located in an area of withe body of the victim, then the disease can be removed by surgery. If the tumor has spread to other parts of the body, the idea of usurer to be deleted, and then the operation would be difficult, if not impossible.
There are four stages of mesothelioma prognosis. If the patient is in the first or second step after the operation is possible in terms of health and other conditions of him / her. And if the patient is in the third or fourth step then surgery can be complicated, as they are the most important and advanced stages of this disease
Now, there are a number of cancer treatments available for patients with mesothelioma. The purpose of these investigations in diagnosis is to determine the stage of the cancer and whether it works or not
know more in the blog http://mesothelioma-l.blogspot.com/


Chemotherapy Helps Mesothelioma Survival?

Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer in which malignant (cancerous) cells are found in the mesothelium, a protective sac that covers most of the body's internal organs. Each year, more than 2,000 new cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed within the United States, many of which end up being terminal.
While there is no one-size-fits-all cure for mesothelioma, researchers and doctors have been working on different treatments to help make this rare form of cancer more manageable. Currently, treatment for mesothelioma generally depends on the location, stage, general health and age of the mesothelioma patient. From that point, patients may receive one or more of a combination of treatments that involve surgery, radiation and/or chemotherapy.
Does Chemotherapy Treatment Work?
Chemotherapy is considered a palliative treatment modality which means that it can help reduce the symptoms of mesothelioma and perhaps the size of the tumors, but it is not curative. Within the last decade, chemotherapy containing cisplatin-antifolate combinations has been shown to improve responses and prolong survival in mesothelioma patients. Based on the successes shown in clinical trials, a trio of research scientists in The Netherlands launched their own population-based study to "assess the impact of this development on clinical practice and survival at a population-based level."
The study focused on 4,731 Dutch patients diagnosed with mesothelioma between 1995 and 2006. For the periods 1995-1998 and 2005-2006, the use of chemotherapy to treat mesothelioma jumped from 8% to 36%. At the same time, median survival for chemotherapy-treated patients increased from 10.1 months in earlier years to 13.1 months in more recent years. The researchers summarized their findings by stating that increased chemotherapy use at the national level did improve survival rates of mesothelioma patients, but they also cautioned that there may still be alternative explanations as to why this is the case.
Alimta and Cisplatin
Cisplatin is a platinum-based chemotherapy drug marketed as Platinol and used to treat a number of different cancers, including mesothelioma, some carcinomas such as small cell lung cancer and ovarian cancer, lymphomas and germ cell tumors. Inside cancer cells, cisplatin and other platinum-based drugs trigger cell death, killing the cancerous cells. In the United States, the platinum-based drug, cisplatin, is usually combined with another drug, Alimta, for treating mesothelioma. Alimta is an antifolate drug, which works by blocking the activity of folic acid inside cells interfering with cellular metabolism.
The FDA approved the Alimta plus cisplatin combination after a clinical trial demonstrated that the two drugs were more effective than one drug. In the July 2003 edition of the Journal of Clinical Oncology the published results reported a median survival time of 12.1 months for mesothelioma patients who received Alimta and cisplatin versus 9.3 months for the mesothelioma patients who just received cisplatin. The researchers also found that the addition of folic acid and vitamin B12 helped to reduce the toxicity of the drugs without adversely affecting survival time.
It is the hope that as research continues there will also continue to be better alternatives (and hopefully a cure) for those who suffer from mesothelioma.
Disclaimer: The information in this article is for educational and informational purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read in this article.
Myra D. Foreman writes for Surviving Mesothelioma. This is the only website where this important book is available for free. The book is written by Paul Kraus who was diagnosed with mesothelioma more than a decade ago and is still enjoying life today


Mesothelioma Lawyer - Hopeful New Treatments and Cures For Mesothelioma Cancer

Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that is really impossible to treat. There are some latest treatment procedures that are really promising when it comes to curb this type of cancer. Anti-angiogenesis is one of the recent mode of cancer treatment. These drugs are not out to target the tumor that is causing the mesothelioma. The drugs are meant for the blood vessels that make the tumors grow. The drugs target the vascular endothelial growth factor that is instrumental in enable blood vessels to form. So the anti-angiogenesis drugs make sure that the vascular endothelial growths do not feed the tumor. This causes the tumor to cease growing and spreading to very important body organs.
New treatments for mesothelioma include immunotherapy which is very effective. The reason why it is effective is because it goes to the base of disease prevention in the body. Biological response modifiers help in improving the immune system of people thus making it possible for the body to rid of the cancerous cells of the mesothelioma. These modifiers play a big role in making the tumors harmless to the body and what happens is that the modifiers inhibit the cancer cells from growing thus making mesothelioma spread highly impossible. The modifiers practically enhance the functions of the antibodies. They can make the body identify cells that are not good for it and thus eliminate them before they cause further harm. Mesothelioma happens when cells that are normal are transformed to cancerous cells. The modifiers make the immune system very strong in the sense that they cease the transformation from normal to cancerous.
The photodynamic therapy is another form of new age mesothelioma treatment. This treatment uses laser light that is induced in to the system of the patient. The light targets the cells that have been harmed by the mesothelioma. When the cells are in contact with the light, then they are going to slowly stop thriving and then eventually die. This therapy is usually in the form of drugs that at times affected some patients who had mesothelioma. The effect is not as drastic the only problem is the patients experience sudden sensitive skin.
Gene therapy is also a new age mesothelioma treatment procedure that is proving to be very effective. This type of treatment has everything to do with the genes of the patient who has the mesothelioma. This type of therapy makes the gene structure of the patient who has mesothelioma have the genes to eradicate this type of cancer.
There are some researchers who have found out that skin cancer cream help in the treatment of mesothelioma. This clinical trial involves the cream being put in the tumor that has the mesothelioma. When the cream was in the tumor, the body responded by reproducing cells that in turn eradicate the cancerous mesothelioma cells. This type of trial seems to be very promising and many mesothelioma patients will soon be cured and the cancer will go and stop making their health life harder.
If you or a loved one suspects you may have mesothelioma, you should find out immediately by a qualified doctor. Generally speaking it is usually caused by exposure to asbestos. You may be eligible for financial relief or even have grounds for a lawsuit. Your first step is to talk to an attorney.
For more information about mesothelioma as well as how to file a lawsuit, please go to Mesothelioma Litigation Lawyers [http://www.mesotheliomalitigationlawyers.com]


Mesothelioma Survival - What Are the Chances?

Every year, about 3000 new cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed in the United States alone. Unfortunately, mesothelioma is an aggressive and usually fatal type of cancer that results from asbestos exposure. This disease occurs when microscopic asbestos fibers are inhaled and get lodged into the linings of the lungs.
What are the chances for mesothelioma survival once a victim gets diagnosed? Sadly, not many victims of mesothelioma survive more than five years after the diagnosis has been made. Mesothelioma survival chances are increased if the disease is caught early. However, this kind of cancer is difficult to detect in its early stages. Once it is detected and diagnosed, it is oftentimes in its advanced stage and too late for a definitive cure. According to reliable sources, less than 10% of mesothelioma sufferers get the chance to survive more than 5 years, while about 40% of sufferers survive more than a year after diagnosis.
As in all forms of cancer, mesothelioma survival rates depend on various factors. These include:
* The current stage of the cancer. The stages of mesothelioma range from Stage One, which primarily means that the tumor is localized in the chest lining, to Stage Four, meaning that the tumor has spread to other vital organs.
* The histology (cell structure and type) of the cancer. Mesothelioma cancer can come as epithelial, which has better prognosis, sarcomatoid, biphasic or desmoplastic.
* The overall health condition and age of the sufferer. The malignant forms of mesothelioma are oftentimes diagnosed in sufferers above the age of 55. Generally, the older the victim is, or the more chronic illnesses associated with the disease, the less chance there is for mesothelioma survival.
* The size and location of the tumor (whether the tumor is operable or not.)
* The extent of the symptoms, such as whether fluid buildup has been observed in the lungs or abdomen.
Mesothelioma is a serious condition which demands immediate medical attention. Although there is no proven cure for mesothelioma, various treatment options are available to prevent the disease from spreading and also to reduce pain and suffering for the victim.
These treatment options may increase the chances for mesothelioma survival. According to various studies, victims administered with chemotherapy, radiation, or surgery, or a combination of any two or three, have a survival rate of at least 18 months after undertaking the procedures.
Today, many experimental treatments are being evaluated throughout the world in controlled clinical trials. These include Photodynamic Therapy, Immunotherapy, Heat Therapy and Gene Therapy.
To learn more about Mesothelioma Cancer including the various Mesothelioma Treatment Options, visit Mesothelioma Facts where we provide all of this and much more!


Mesothelioma an Aggressive Cancer

Mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer type with no cure yet. The leading cause of this disease is exposure to asbestos, which is a naturally occurring silicate. No amount of asbestos exposure is safe although this disease develops after chronic exposure. Between the exposure itself and the mesothelioma cancer detection usually there is a 20 to 40 (even 50 years) years elapse. In the development of the mesothelioma cancer the long exposure time is of decisive importance, just as the type of asbestos and the fiber size. Asbestos today is banned from construction and all of the other industries, which a few decades ago frequently used it.
Mesothelioma is often mistaken to lung cancer because it mostly affects the pleura (thoracic cavity) among other thin membranes, which cover the organs in our body.
Other membranes where mesothelioma develops are: the peritoneum (in the abdominal cavity) the pericardium (fibroserous sac which encloses the heart), and the tunica vaginalis (serous membrane, which covers the front and sides of the testis and epididymis).
The general mesothelioma symptoms are: cough, husky voice, shortness of breath or difficulty to breathe, difficulty while swallowing, chest pain or abdominal swelling and pain, fatigue, anemia, the loss of appetite, weight loss, cachexia, fluid in the chest or abdomen, inability to sleep.
It is very difficult to diagnose mesothelioma and to connect the symptoms with the cancer because many of the symptoms can easily be mistaken for other more common, not life threatening diseases like heart disease, flu, pneumonia or bronchitis.
As mentioned above there are three main types of mesothelioma cancers: malignant pleural mesothelioma, malignant pericardial mesothelioma and malignant peritoneal mesothelioma.
Other occurring mesothelioma types (not very common): testicular, epithelial, biphasic, cystic, liver, brain, papillary, adenocarcinoma, sarcomatoid and desmoplastic mesothelioma.
There are three main options for treating mesothelioma cancer: surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. These three treatment options are often combined for an effective treatment. During surgery, the cancer cells are removed and post-surgery mesothelioma doctors usually use radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Treating mesothelioma cancer with these methods will give the patients a possible extension of five years to their lives. Additional treatments used by mesothelioma doctors are anti-angiogenesis drugs, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation therapy, gene therapy, immunotherapy, massage therapy, acupuncture, and intraoperative photodynamic therapy.
In order to treat efficiently a mesothelioma cancer patient a unified and effective cooperation of general practitioners, epidemiologists, pathologists, thoracic surgeons, radiation therapists, oncologists, rehabilitation specialists and psychotherapists is required.
Find out more about mesothelioma victims. Contact a mesothelioma doctor in your area.


Mesothelioma 101: What You Need to Know

Despite the fact that mesothelioma has been on the rise just recently, not many people know what this is, what causes it, and what the signs and symptoms are. This article aims to inform the general reading public about mesothelioma: its nature, its cause, and its signs and symptoms.
What Is Mesothelioma?
Mesothelioma, or more precisely known as malignant mesothelioma, is a rare form of cancer that develops from transformed cells that originated from the mesothelium, the protective layer that covers the many internal organs of the body.
It develops in many different parts of the body, but there are some of the common anatomical sites where mesothelioma develops. Among others, these anatomical sites include the pleura (the outer lining of the lungs and internal chest wall), peritoneum (the lining of the abdominal cavity), pericardium (the sac that surrounds the heart), and tunica vaginalis (a sac that surrounds the testis). This type of cancer is also known to grow at a much faster rate, and causes metastasis of isolated limbs of the body, thus, bringing unwilling predictions.
What Causes Mesothelioma?
The most common and considered as the undisputed cause of mesothelioma is prolonged exposure to asbestos. There are several ways a person can come in contact with asbestos fibers: occupational, environmental, and paraoccupational.
People who work in asbestos-exposed areas, such as construction site, ship yards, and factories are considered to have the highest risk rate of developing mesothelioma. However, some people come in contact with asbestos fibers due to their locality's proximity to naturally occurring asbestos or minerals with the same properties as that of asbestos, such as the zeolite mineral known as erionite. Some people develop mesothelioma due to secondary exposure to asbestos; this is known as the paraoccuopational exposure. Those whose family members work in an asbestos-exposed area are also in the risk of developing mesothelioma, as asbestos dust and/or fibers can accumulate in their clothes and can be brought home. This is the reason why people who work in asbestos-exposed area are required to take a shower and change clothes before going out of the area. Another reason that a person can develop mesothelioma is due to their exposure to buildings constructed with asbestos-based materials. Small but regular exposure to asbestos can lead to mesothelioma development.
What Are the Common Signs and Symptoms of Mesothelioma?
Common symptoms of mesothelioma include breathing problem, uncontrollable cough, severe chest pain, weakness, and/or unexpected weight loss. The common signs and symptoms of mesothelioma are often wrongly thought of as simple diseases and/or symptoms of common illness, and when it is detected, it is often too late to reverse or cure it. Most of the time, mesothelioma are confirmed after the doctor have conducted a biopsy on the anatomical site where the mesothelioma cells have gathered.
Christian George Acevedo has been writing for the web since 2005. Since then, he has written thousands of articles for his clients. Check out more of Christian's articles at Helium and Suite 101. He has actually written dozens of articles about mesothelioma at http://gettoknowmesothelioma.blogspot.com/.
Feel free to contact him at powerwordsonlinewriting@gmail.com.


Treatment for Mesothelioma Cancer

When learning about mesothelioma, you should search for words like cached similar mesothelioma, or mesothelioma cached similar. This is because there are a variety of cancers linked to mesothelioma and asbestos cancer.
But how is mesothelioma cancer treated?
Well, in order to explain this, we must first discuss a little about what exactly mesothelioma is, and how it attacks the body. During the attachment of mesosomes, squamous cells rise up from the linings of embryonic body cavities. These squamous cells are located in the peritoneum, the pericardium, and the pleura. The peritoneum is a thin membrane that lines the abdominal and pelvic cavities, and spans across the majority of your abdominal viscera.
The pericardium is located just outside of the heart, surrounding it with a multiple layered sac of fluid that lubricates the surfaces near the heart, preventing damage from friction. The pleuron, grouped into two sections, the visceral pleura, and the parietal pleura, is highly susceptible to pain. It is understood, that mesothelioma cancer, is one of hardship and grief.
As with all cancer growth, it manipulates the integrity of cell walls, mutating the human form. Mesothelioma cancer begins in the lungs. It is contracted by swallowing or breathing in asbestos fiber, which are so small, that the naked human eye cannot see them.
It takes a long time for mesothelioma cancer to set in. In some reported cases, it has taken tens of years for a victim to realize they have this cancer. This is one of the reasons it is so deadly, taking host to more than 3,000 per year.
When being treated for mesothelioma cancer, a patient will undergo several forms of therapy. The most common form includes a series of x-rays, CT scans, and MRIs. In addition, you may find that a doctor might recommend biopsies to assist in determining which type of treatment plan will work best for you. As no one person is the same as another, nor is treatment and it will vary from one patient to another. An oncologist or physician will help you to figure out what works best with your body to meet your needs.
In addition, surgery, radiation treatment, and chemotherapy have been known to assist in the fight against cancer. This is the same with mesothelioma cancer treatment. When you began treatment, you will learn that the object of this treatment is finding and eliminate any and all tumors. The variety of theory helps by solving the question of exactly where they are located, and the spread of each tumor. There are my symptoms that will be relieved by following a doctor's orders, and attending these treatment sessions.
In this particular cancer, a victim may find difficulty in breathing, chest pain, and harsh stomach aches. As a result, depression is likely, and fighting off disease will be more difficult than usual. If you find yourself with these or other symptoms, you should seek help from your doctor or physician right away.
By,
Chirag Naiknavare